Gas-engine.



F. G. HODGES, JR & J. M. SCHOONMAKER, JR.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1. 1913.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

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a'wuemTozs F. G. HODGES, In & J. M. SCHOONMAKER, JR. GAS ENGINE.

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F. G. HOUSES, 5a 61 J. M. SCHOONMAKER, JR.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1. m3.

Patented Sept. 5 915.

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FRED e. HODGES, JR, or READING, AND JAMES M. SGI-IOONMAKER, 3a., or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. a, rare.

Application filed July 1, 1913. Serial No. 776,766.

To all whom it mag concern Be it known that we, FRED G. HoDGns, Jr, and Janus M. SCI-IOONMAKER, J12, citizens of the United States, and residing, respectively, at Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, and at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas- Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in gas engines, and has for its primary obj ect the simplification and the improving of the efficiency of the valve mechanism of engines of the type stated.

In keeping with the foregoing object the invention comprehends the provision of an improved rotary valve adapted to be rotatably mounted across the upper ends or heads of a pair of adjoining cylinders to properly control the admission and exhaust to said cylinders, characteristic features residing in independent inlet and outlet passages extending for substantially the length of the valve, and opening at opposite ends of the latter to enable the formation of said end openings of larger area, and non-interfering, as would be the case were the end openings of both inlet and outlet passages at one and the same end of the valve; a special formation of the rotary valve wherebv the peripheral portion thereof is strengthened or reinforced throughout a portion thereof subject to the explosive action of the gases in the cylinder, and improved formations of the valve and cooperating parts for water cooling said valve by compelling the cool water to take a circuitous course through the interior of the valve controlled by the rotation of the latter; and improved relative arrangement of the valve openings leading to the inlet and outlet ports of the cylinders enabling a partial escape of exhaust gases from one cylinder slightly in advance of the admission of the explosive mixtures into another cylinder in order to relieve to a corresponding extent the internal pressure of the engine.

The foregoing features, together with other details in the construction and arrangement of the parts of a convenient embodiment of our invention will be apparent from the sp c c d cr p here nafter contained when read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated. It is however, to be understood that while we shall herein disclose but one embodimentof the invention it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that the invention is capable of being embodied in still other forms and devices, as may be included within the terms of the hereinafter appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a four cylinder engine showing the near side of one of the pairs of cylinders in elevation and the other in vertical section; Fig. 2 is a side view of the valve removed; Fig. 3 is an end view of the same; Fig. 4 is an opposite end view; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 8; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 9; Fig. 7 is a transverse central sectional view on the line ze of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a similar view on the line a2-00 of Fig. 2, Fig. 9 is a like view on the line y-y of Fig. 2, Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view through the valve and its casing looking down upon the tops or heads of the cylinders, and Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the four positions of thevalve progressively occupied thereby during a complete cycle of operation.

Referring more specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the seve :11 views, A represents a pair of cylinders of a four-cylinder engine, and B the opposite pair, it not being necessary herein to describe both sets in detail in view of the fact that the arrangement and valve mechanism devoted to each pair is exactly the same, other than to here state that there is a common inlet pipe C branched at its ends, as at c, terminating with hollow heads 0 to feed to the respective valves, and a similar common exhaust pipe having like braches terminated in hollow heads D, Fig. 10, for the exhaust gases. The cylinders are water jacketed as usual and terminate in an upwardly curved head or end, a common head being provided for each pair of cylinders, and an approximately cylindrical water jacketed valve casing or seat E being formed integral with said end. This cylindrical seat E is arranged centrally between the cylinders of a pair and extends transversely across the same so that the axis of the valve to be soon defined is within the plane of the dividing wall or walls a, separating the cylinders, a portion of the valve seat E being constituted by flanges 6 formed at the top of said walls a, as clearly shown at the left of Fig. 1. The pistons in the cylinders are represented at F, and the inlet and exhaust ports at the top or head of the cylinders and in front of said pistons are shown at G.

H represents a rotary valve mounted to rotate with a rotary shaft I supported in bearings 6 formed on the interior of the hollow heads 0' and D, and driven by means of suitable gearing J coupled up in any convenient manner, to be driven for example at one-half the crank shaft speed, the ends of the valve bearing against the inner surfaces of the flanged edges 0 of the hollow heads, bolted as at c to the ends of the valve casing or seat E. The interior of the valve is hollow, as at K, constituting a water chamber, and the hollow shaft I has separated lateral passages 71 registering with openings it in the valve, the pair of openings 1;, it, being separated by a wall or deflector i at the center of the hollow shaft 1, so that water fed through the hollow shaft from any convenient source of supply, feeding to one end of the shaft will pass outwardly into the chamber K, within the valve, and then outwardly again into the hollow shaft beyond the deflector or wall 2' from which end of the shaft the water is discharged, it being desirable that the water be used in a circuitous manner, to which result the opposite ends of the hollow pipe may be in communication with suitable pumping means."

Axially of the valve H a gas inlet chamber L is provided, and adjacent thereto an exhaust chamber M. One end of the valve is provided with an opening Z registering with the intake 0 and with the gas chamber L, while the opposite end of the valve has an opening m registering with the exhaust D and the exhaust chamber M. Peripherally of the valve the gas chamber L is adapted to feed to the cylinders A through a series of openings Z adapted to register with the ports Gin the ends or heads of the cylinders, and the chamber M has a series of similar peripheral openings m adapted to register with the port G of the adjacent cylinder A when the chamber L is in communication with the port G first mentioned. The exhaust openings m are somewhat wider than the gas inlet openings Z, best indicated at m Fig. 1, so that the openings m may register to a slight extent with the port G and permit a corresponding exhaust therethrough previous to the registration of the gas inlet chamber L with the port G of another cylinder in order to relieve internal pressures in the engine, as

will be apparent. By having the openings Z, m at opposite ends of the rotary valve they may be made of any suitable size, independently and without interference, one relative to the other.

The valve chambers L and M are formed by dividing the interior of the valve by the walls 1, 2, 8 and 4, as represented in detail in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, and from an examination of these-figures it will be seen that the walls 1 and 2 at the end of the valve are separated a maximumdistance apart but converge toward the opposite end of the valve being closed together at said opposite end of the valve by an inclined wall Z (Fig. 5) while the walls 3 and 4 at the opposite end of the valve are disposed a maximum distance apart and converge inwardly toward the other end of the valve where these walls are closed together by a similarly inclined portion m From this construction it will be seen that the inlet and exhaust chambers taper in opposite directions from the opposite ends of the rotary valve so that in the case of the inlet, an ample feed opening is provided at the end of the valve for the in coming explosive mixture adapted to be fed through the several lateral openings Z,- while in the latter instance the exhaust passes from the cylinder through the several lateral valve openings m into the chamber M and finally escapes through the gradually enlarging portion of the chamber m opening to the hollow exhaust head D. The

'valve is suitably packed at its opposite ends,

as represented at N, and the hollow shaft I of the valve is of course packed in any con venient way, as at 0, where said pipe passes into and out of the bearings 2'.

From the foregoing it is believed that the structural characteristics of our improvements will be apparent, and to indicate in a general way the relation and operation of the valve with reference to the pair of cylinders, we have undertaken in Fig. 11 to diagrammatically illustrate the four positions of the valve comprehended in a co1n plete cycle of operation thereof in connection with the two cylinders with which the valve is associated, it being understood that this valve arrangement with the pair of cylinders is, as stated at the outset of this specification, duplicated in the case of the adjacent pair of cylinders, and in considering the cycle of operations disclosed it will be understood that while one cylinder is charging the other three are respectively compressing, firing and exhausting.

To better withstand the shock and pressures incident to the explosive step of the cycle of operations, that peripheral portion of the rotary valve which closes the port G of the cylinder while the explosion takes place, is strengthened by an arched internal reinforce P formed integral with the nort in said valve casing, a partition extending,

cylinder inclosing the port G thereof.

It will be clear that various changes may be made in the details of the special embodiment of our invention herein set forth as will appeal to persons skilled in the art and dealing therewith.

lVhat we claim is:

1. In an engine of the character described, a palr of ad acent cylinders, having a valve casing at the ends thereof and a valve withthrough said valve dividing the same on one side into independent inlet and exhaust chambers adapted to communicate with the cylinders, the opposite side of the valve constitutingv a water chamber for cooling the" inlet and outlet-chambers, substantially as described.

2. In an engine of the character described,

a pair of adjacent cylinders having a valve casing at the ends thereof, and a rotary valve within the casing, the valve being divided at substantially the center thereof and having on one side, inlet and: exhaust chambers extending lengthwise of the valve adapted to communicate with the cylinders and opening at opposite ends of the valve,

and a relatively large independent Waterj chamber extending throughout the length of the valve on the side opposite the inlet and exhaust chambers for cooling the said valvebers extending lengthwise of the valve adapt-- ed to communicate with the cylinders and opening atoppositesidesof the valve, and a relatively large independent water chamber extending throughout the length of the valve on the side opposite the inlet and exhaust chambers for cooling the said valve,-the portion of the valve constituting the water chamber, adapted to overlie the ports in the cylinder during the firing thereof.

4.. In an engine of the character described, a. pair of cylinders, a valve casing secured thereto, a hollow rotary valve in said casing, a plurality of division walls extending lengthwise of the valve and dividing the same into independent inlet and exhaust chambers communicating with the cylinders through the ports therein, and an inde pendent water chamber overlying the saidinlet and exhaust cham e a portion of the periphery of the valve forming the wall of the water chamber being reinforced to resist the force of explosion and adapted to overlie the ports in the cylinder during the firing thereof, substantially as described.

5 In: an engine of the character described,

a pair of cylinders, a valve casing secured thereto, a hollow rotary valve 1n said casing, a: plurahty of CllVlSlOIl' walls extendlng substantially throughout the length of the valve dividing the same on one side into independent inlet and exhaust chambers communicating with the cylinders, and on the opposite side into a relatively large independent water chamber, the division wallsconstltuting a bracing. means for the valve,

substantially as described.

- 6L In an engine of the character described, a cylinder, a valve casing associated there with, a hollow rotary valve in said casing provided with an interior water chamber, and with gas inlet and exhaust chambers adjacent to the water chamber adapted to communicate with the cylinders, and means for water cooling the valve comprising a hollow shaft therefor and lateral passages in said shaft communicating with the water chamber to cause water passing therethrough to travel a circuitous course, substantially as described.

7 In an engine of the character described, a cylinder, a valve casing associated therewith, a hollow rotary valve" in said casing provided with an interior water chamber, and with gas inlet and exhaust chambers adjacent to the water chamber adapted to communicate with the cylinder, and means for water cooling the valve comprising a hollow shaft therefor and lateral passages in said shaft communicating with the Water chamber to cause water passing therethrough to travel a circuitous course, the hollow shaft being provided with a deflector there in separating the lateral passages in theshaft, substantially as described.

8. In an engine of the character described, a pair of cylinders, a valve casing secured thereto, a hollow rotary valve in said casing, a plurality of division walls extending substantially throughout the length of the valve dividing the same on one side into independent inlet and exhaust chain bers communicating with the cylinders, and

on the opposite side into a relatively large independent water chamber, division walls constituting a: reinforcing means for the valve, a portion of the periphery of the valve being enlarged and adapted to overlie the cylinder during the firing thereof, substantially as described.

9. In an" engine of the character described, a pair of cylinders, a valve casing arranged adjacent one end of said cylinders, a valve in said casing having inlet and exhaust chambe adapted to C mmunicate with the cylinders, a cap closing the inlet end of the valve chamber, and a similar cap closing the exhaust end thereof, in combination with a hollow shaft for the rotary valve passing therethrough and projecting therebeyond at opposite ends, for conducting a cooling fluid therethrough, substantially as and for the purpose described.

10. In an engine of the character described, a pair of cylinders, a valve casing arranged across the end of said cylinders, a valve in said casing having an interior water chamber, and inlet and exhaust chambers adjacent to the water chamber adapted to communicate with the cylinders, the. inlet chamber opening at one end of the valve and the exhaust chamber opening at the other end of the valve, a hollow cap closing the intake end of the valve chamber, a similar hollow cap closing the exhaust end thereof, in combination with a shaft for the rotary valve, and the internal bearings for the shaft formed on the hollow intake and exhaust caps, said shaft being hollow and adapted to discharge water laterally into the water chamber, substantially as described.

11. In an engine of the character described, a pair of cylinders, a valve casing arranged across the end of said cylinders, a valve in said casing having an interior water chamber, and inlet and exhaust chambers adjacent to the water chamber adapted to communicate with the cylinders, the inlet chamber opening at one end of the valve and the exhaust chamber opening at the other end of the valve, a hollow cap closing the intake end of the valve chamber, a similar hollow cap closing the exhaust end thereof, in combination with a shaft for the rotary valve, and internal bearings for the shaft formed on the hollow intake and exhaust caps, said shaft being provided With separated openings adapted to feed and discharge water to and from the water chamher, a deflector being formed in the shaft to compel the water to take a circuitous course, substantially as described.

12. In an engine of the character described, a pair of cylinders, a valve casing arranged across the end of said cylinders, a valve in said casing having an interior water chamber, and inlet and exhaust chambers adjacent to the water chamber adapted to communicate with the cylinders, the inlet chamber opening at one end of the valve and the exhaust chamber opening at the other end of the valve, a hollow cap closing the intake end of the valve chamber, a similar hollow cap closing the exhaust end thereof, in combination with a shaft for the rotary valve, and internal bearings for the shaft formed on the hollow intake and exhaust caps, said shaft being hollow and adapted to discharge water laterally into the water chamber, and suitable packing for the ends of the hollow shaft which protrude through the intake and exhaust caps.

13. In an engine of the character described, a pair of cylinders, a valve casing arranged across the end of said cylinders, a valve in said casing having inlet and exhaust chambers adapted to communicate with the cylinder, the inlet chamber opening at one end of the valve and the exhaust chamber opening at the opposite end of the valve, a hollow cap closing the intake end of the valve chamber, a similar hollow cap inclosing the exhaust end thereof, in combination with a hollow shaft for the rotary valve, the said shaft passing entirely through the valve and mounted on internal bearings formed on the hollow inclosing caps, the said shaft being provided with a lateral opening adapted to feed and discharge water to and from the interior of the valve.

14. In an engine of the character described, a pair of cylinders having a valve casing secured thereto, avalve arranged in said casing, the said valve having inlet and exhaust chambers on one side thereof in communication with the cylinder through a port therein and a cooling chamber on the opposite side of the valve of substantially greater area than either of the said inlet and exhaust chambers, the cooling chamber adapted to overlie the port within the cylinder during the firing thereof.

15. In an engine of the character described, comprising a pair of adjacent cylinders having a valve casing secured thereto, a valve within said casing, the valve being provided with independent inlet and exhaust chambers extending lengthwise thereof on one side, and an independent water nesses.

FRED Gr. HODGES, JR. Witnesses:

F. B. PEDRIOK, F. WM. GRING.

J. M. SCHOONMAKER, J11.

Witnesses:

W. B. FLYNN, H. F. WEsT,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

